Sunderland vs Brighton Predictions

• Five of Sunderland’s last six games have featured fewer than three goals
• Brighton have kept five clean sheets in eight games this season
• The Seagulls have scored 11 goals in their last three away matches

Black Cats face a difficult test

Few people anticipated that Sunderland would flourish in the Premier League last season yet alone earn a place in Europe, but it is now time for the Black Cats to live up to expectations and they entertain a Brighton side in red-hot form on Saturday.

Regis Le Bris’s side will be disappointed to have taken just four points from their opening five games and their defensive frailties were exposed in a 5-3 defeat to Manchester City in their final match before the international break.

Their win came against Fulham who are still searching for their first success of the campaign and they may be overpowered by the Seagulls, who could hardly be in better shape.

Seagulls can continue upward trajectory

Brighton have proved a real Premier League force in the last couple of seasons and they have shown they should be at least pushing for Europe again this season after some eyecatching recent results.

Their good run began with a 5-0 win at newly promoted Coventry when the Sky Blues got a rude awakening after winning last season’s Championship and that was followed by a memorable night at Old Trafford when they came from two goals down to knock Manchester United out of the EFL Cup.

Better was still to come as they outplayed Premier League champions Arsenal in a 3-0 win at the Amex Stadium just before the break and there seems little reason why they should not continue on such a course.

Kostoulas looks set to shine again

A Seagulls win appeals and, as they have kept five clean sheets in eight games this season, a 2-0 victory appeals from a correct-score perspective.

Meanwhile, their Greek striker Charalampos Kostoulas can maintain his rich vein of goalscoring form.

He has netted in his last three games against Coventry, Manchester United and Arsenal and had a total of 14 goal efforts in his last four appearances, so he can play a major role in events at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.